The partners will work together to analyze samples from patients
who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, or a precancerous benign
condition, searching for genes [or] protein characteristics that could be used
in diagnostic or prognostic tests. "This collaboration will result in a
very unique clinical trial where we will be evaluating how FAS works to diagnose and predict prostate cancer in very specific
populations, such as veterans," Nuclea President and CEO Patrick Muraca ”
(Published in GenomeWeb Daily News - 13 March 2012)
A few immediate questions arise:
- Why Albany, when Nuclea claims to have filed patents after
research performed by it and Dr. Massimo Loda at the Dana Farber Cancer
Institute found a predictive relationship between Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS) and
degree of regression and clinical survival in patients with prostate cancer?
- Nuclea went on to say back in May 2011 that using their assay, doctors will be able to correctly classify and diagnose 95% of patients– more than a 20% increase over current diagnostic tools. Really, but this new collaboration sounds very preliminary, ‘searching for genes, or proteins that could be used in tests’, ‘evaluating how FAS works as a diagnostic test’. This is for something they allege to have submitted to FDA. Really?
- Who’s the collaborator at Albany? Just as we never got a direct quote from Dr Loda or DFCI, nor is anything said in public by Albany Research Institute.
- No copy of this announcement can be found on Nuclea’s website, yet it is released to the press – why?
- Finally for now what makes Veterans a population in the context of a genetic test?
Is it more a case of using sympathetic views of Veterans to
mask gross scientific and financial misdeeds?
10 comments:
Maybe the grifter was found out and he's setting up shop in a new town. It does seem like a backward move..very strange.
Found this NPR interview:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/715/0/1804947/WAMC.New.England.News/Berkshires-based.Prostate.Cancer.Research.Shows.Promise.for.Improved.Diagnoses.and.Treatment
Dr. Loda quoted:
"A lot of data points to the fact that this enzyme is high in tumors that seem to be more aggressive than others. As a result of that I think that the data that has been accumulated thus far by us and others is promising, but to say that this will have an immediate impact on patients is something that is premature."
Sounds a little different than Nuclea press releases...
Still trying to figure out the veteran genetic grouping????
Interesting article. I would love to know what's going on in that Worcester lab. Nuclea is saying that FAS is the better predictor than PSA and the greatest hope for prostate cancer sufferers while
Loda says he believes that "FAS will not replace PSA or other diagnostic markers, but will act as an additional biomarker to sub classify some cancers and aid in treatment decisions."
It seems obvious they both don't share the relativeness and impending implementation of FAS as a predictive tool.
Just pasting that link to the radio interview again - I couldn't see it on the page - worth a listen for sure. You can clearly hear Dr Loda driving at top speed in reverse gear.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/715/0/1804947/WAMC.New.England.News/Berkshires-based.Prostate.Cancer.Research.Shows.Promise.for.Improved.Diagnoses.and.Treatment
I can't image someone like Dr. Loda, who I'm assuming is a decent, honest scientist, feeling comfortable dealing with our snake-oil salesman. I'm sure he is at odds with the wording of Nuclea press releases concerning when these biomarkers will be diagnostically available.
Why does Nuclea still have a picture of Clark University on their website when they were kicked off campus months ago????
Do you have any idea why they are not at Clark anymore? Is it because of the assumptions that others have made here?
It certainly explains why the new affiliation with Albany.
Kicked out of Clark? Details would be appreciated. Do you have confirmation? The public needs to know what is really happening with this "business".
Interesting article from last July explaining the Nuclea/Clark relationship:
http://www.telegram.com/article/20110714/NEWS/107149538/1002/RSS01&source=rss
Any updates here?
Good Day Everyone. Would someone please enlighten me? WHY IS MURACA STILL GETTING "FUNDING"? This man needs to see the world through cast iron bars.
Post a Comment